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* THE GLASS FACTORY. *
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@£%*;»,,,, SEVERAL CENTURIES AFTER IT HAD LAST ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, BELONGED TO US, WE WENT ON AN OUTING TO ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, THE GLASS FACTORY THAT BORE OUR FAMILY ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, NAME. IT HAD CHANGED OWNERS MANY TIMES ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, SINCE OUR ANCESTORS DEATH, AND THEN ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, STOOD ABANDONED FOR A LONG WHILE. ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, FINALLY, THE NATURAL END STATION FOR ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, THE BUILDINGS THAT SURVIVE: A MUSEUM, ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, AND A GIFT SHOP. ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, THERE'S A LONG TIME SINCE MY FAMILY ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, MADE ANYTHING. BY MANY, WE WOULD BE ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, CONSIDERED POOR. ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, THERE ARE TWO MAIN FACTORY BUILDINGS, ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, DOMED THINGS OF SEVERAL FLOORS, MADE IN ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, YELLOW BRICK. LARGE BUT NARROW WINDOWS, ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, REMINESCENT OF SOME CATHEDRAL. ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, CUSTOM-MADE GLASS, OF COURSE, LARGE AND ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, LEADED, AND ASHEN. A BIT TOO DARK TO BE ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, PRACTICAL. ON THE EASTERN BUILDING, ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, SOME ARE SHATTERED. ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, THE OTHER ONE IS PUBLICLY OPEN. THERE'S ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, A MUSEUM, WITH WAX FIGURES OF MY GREAT ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, GREAT GREAT GRANDFATHER, OR SOMETHING. ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, VARIOUS TOOLS (OR REPLICAS) LAID OUT ON ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, TABLES, WITH EXPLAINING TEXTS. A LOT OF ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, GLASS OF VARYING THICKNESS. ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, ** ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, ** ** ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, »»»»»»» * * »»»»»»» ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, ** ** ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, ** ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, I QUICKLY SNEAK OUT, AND CLIMB INTO THE ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, OTHER BUILDING. THE CONTRAST IS ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, OVERWHELMING. IT MUST HAVE STOOD ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, DERELICT FOR A LONG TIME, WINDOWS ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, BROKEN, METALLIC TRASH AND POOLS OF ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, DARK GLASS ALL OVER THE FLOOR. NO ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, ELECTRIC LIGHTS, BUT I CAN SEE BY THE ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, LIGHT THAT SHINES IN WHEREVER THE DARK ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, WINDOWS ARE MISSING A PANE. ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, HOWEVER, THE GREATEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, HIGHER FLOORS: THIS BUILDING HAS NONE. ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, IT IS ONE MASSIVE HALL, STRETCHING AWAY ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, INFINITELY ABOVE ME. SOMEWHERE UP THERE ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, IS SOME GREAT IRON LATTICEWORK, FROM ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, WHERE CHAINS ARE SUSPENDED, AND PARTS ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, OF MACHINERY HAS BEEN FALLING DOWN. ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, THERE IS, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GREAT ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, HALL, A THIN SPIRAL STAIRCASE THAT ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, LEADS UP THERE. I SNEAK OVER THERE, AND ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, TAKE A FEW RELUCTANT STEPS. AFTER JUST ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, A REVOLUTION, I NOTICE THAT FOR EACH ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, STEP THE BUILDING STARTS TO GLOW, THE ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, BRICKS TURNING A DARK RED, AND THEN ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, ORANGE, ALL THE PILED UP DEBREE BEING ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, LIT FROM BEHIND. ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, I STOP READY TO RUN DOWN AND OUT, BUT ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE ON THE STAIRCASE ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, WITH ME NOW, PRESSED CLOSE. HE'S ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, LOOKING LIKE ME, SHORT HAIR AND THIN ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, ARMS, BUT WITH EARS FROM SOME ANIMAL, ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, AND MORE DISTURBINGLY, COMPLETELY MADE ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, OF DARK LIQUID GLASS. ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, ** ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, ** ** ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, »»»»»»» * * »»»»»»» ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, ** ** ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, ** ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, MY FEAR HOLDS ME IN PLACE WHILE HE ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, STARTS OPERATING LEVERS AND DIALS SET ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, IN THE CENTER OF THE STAIRCASE. SLOWLY, ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, IT STARTS SPINNING, CIRCLING UPWARDS. ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, IT'S AN ELEVATOR! I START TO RUN ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, DOWNWARDS, BUT NOW THE LIQUID BOY ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, CREATURE GRABS HOLD OF ME. I TRY TO ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, SHAKE HIM OFF, BUT HE'S TOO STRONG, AND ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, PULLS ME BACK UP BESIDE HIM. ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, THIS TIME, I TURN ANGRY INSTEAD. WHAT ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, THE HELL? WHO IS THIS GUY, ACTING LIKE ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, THIS? I REACH OUT MY FREE ARM AND SLAM ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, A RANDOM LEVER. SOME METAL BAR IS ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, SUDDENLY RELEASED BETWEEN US, HITTING ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, HIM ON THE ARM, FORCING MY RELEASE. I ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, SHOVE HIM OFF OF ME, AND HE FALLS INTO ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, THE LEVERS, MESSING THEM UP. ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, IMMEDIATELY, A THIN RUSTY CHAINMAIL ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, CURTAIN IS DROPPED AROUND ME. BUT THE ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, ELEVATOR ALSO SPEEDS UP SIGNIFICANTLY. ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, THE WALLS ARE FLARING NOW, YELLOW, ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, WHITE, ALMOST BLUE. I CLOSE MY EYES AND ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, CURL INTO A BALL. BUT THEN, THE GLASS ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, BOY SCREAMS, A PIERCING SOUND THAT ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, FORCES MY EYES BACK OPEN. I WATCH AS HE ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, BECOMES TOO LIQUID, HIS BODY POOLING ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, DOWN IN HIS NOW MASSIVE TAIL, AND THE ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, TIP OF IT SUDDENLY BREAKS OF IN A GLASS ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, DROP THAT FALLS TOWARD THE FACTORY ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, FLOOR. ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, HE'S CRAWLING ON THE STAIRS, UNABLE TO ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, KEEP HIS BODY UPRIGHT. CAN'T REACH THE ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, LEVERS, CLAWS AT MY CHAINMAIL CAGE, ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, WHILE HIS BODY IS TURNING INTO DARK ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, PEARLS. FINALLY, HE'S LOST TOO MUCH OF ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, HIMSELF AND THE SCREAM IS CUT SHORT. ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, THE LAST OF HIM RAINS DOWN. ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, I STILL CAN'T REACH THE LEVERS FROM ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, WITHIN MY CAGE. LOOKING UP, I TRY TO ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, MAKE OUT THE CEILING, BUT IT'S ALL A ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, WHIRLING SEA OF COLOURS. BELOW ME GLOWS ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, THE HELLFIRE OF THE FACTORY WALLS, BUT ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, VERY FAINT. I SIT DOWN, CURL BACK UP, ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, BECOME STILL. ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, ** ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, ** ** ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, »»»»»»» * * »»»»»»» ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, ** ** ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, ** ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, A LARGE CLUNK SHAKES MY ENTIRE BODY, ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, AND SNAPS ME BACK INTO REALITY. I'M ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, BACK AT THE FACTORY FLOOR, BUT THE ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, STAIRS ARE STILL MOVING SLIGHTLY, ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, CLICKING IN PLACE, CARRYING ME THE LAST ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, FEW CENTIMETERS. I CAME FROM BELOW, ,,,,,,»;*%
£%*;»,,,,, SOMEHOW. THE CHAINMAIL IS RETRACTED, ,,,,,»;*%£
@£%*;»,,,, AND I SLOWLY DISMOUNT THE STAIRS. ,,,,»;*%£@
#@£%*;»,,, ,,,»;*%£@#
##@£%*;»,, SHAKING AND CRYING, I MAKE MY WAY OVER ,,»;*%£@##
#@£%*;»,,, THE FACTORY FLOOR, WADING THROUGH DARK ,,,»;*%£@#
@£%*;»,,,, GLASS MARBLES. A QUICK GLANCE DOWN, AND ,,,,»;*%£@
£%*;»,,,,, I SEE THERE'S SOMETHING FAINT INSIDE ,,,,,»;*%£
%*;»,,,,,, THEM. EMBRYOS? ARE THESE EGGS? ,,,,,,»;*%
*;»,,,,,,, ,,,,,,,»;*
%*;»,,,,,, I SHUDDER, AND CLIMB BACK OUT. ,,,,,,»;*%
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